Neither the social technology nor an understanding of community empowerment issues are sufficient on their own to ensure that communities grow stronger, but together they can change the way the world works.
What is Harringay Online?
Harringay Online is a neighbourhood network working to strengthen the neighbourhood of Harringay in the north London Borough of Haringey. Through social networking technology Harringay Online provides a virtual high street cafe-cum-village hall, which blends web-based and real world neighbourhood interactions to build stronger more empowered communities.
What does Harringay Online aim to do?
Harringay Online is focussed on achieving four main outcomes:
- Building a sense of place in a neighbourhood – an understanding and appreciation of the neighbourhood to encourage a feeling of belonging and regarding a place as home.
- Building social capital in the neighbourhood – building networks, norms and trust that enable people to act together more effectively to pursue shared objectives – simply put building community spirit or neighbourliness.
- Empowering local people to take action shape their neighbourhood – working to improve local people’s ability to influence local decisions and affect local circumstances
- Engaging people in local democratic processes.
Ultimately our goal is to increase the wellbeing levels of people in neighbourhoods.